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`l... N. MccLELLANrAL Y y May 30, 1933,` coumtn rLQw CONTROL AND-snack VALVE' Re 18,849

3 Shee`ts-Sh`eet l original Filed Jan. 1s. 1929 u B i@ ii @l Mi l M' n @MM @W1 i i@ H L. N. MCCLELLAN EI'AL COMBINED FLOW CONTROL AND CHECK VALVE K L. N. MCCLELLAN EAL Muy 3o COMBINED FLOWGONTOL AND CHECK VALVE y original Filed Jan. 1a,l 1929 Reissued May 3o, 1933 JOHN L. SAVAGE, 'AND' CH'ARLES M. DAY,

OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNORS T0 UNIVERSAL HYDRAULIC CORPORATION, OF'

DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO .COMBINED FLOW CONTROL AND CHECK VALVE Original No. 1,856,222, 'dated-May 3. 193,2, Serial No. 333,459, filed January 18, 1929. Application for reissue led November 9,

This invention relates to a valve for in stallation in a pipeline or conduit, such as a city Water main, or a discharge pipe from a pump, whereby the flow through such pipe line or conduit may be effectively and automatically controlled, and embodies features of the valve forming the subject matter of our Patent No. 1,750,417, granted March 11; 1930. n

One object of the invention is to-provide a valve which Will throttle the passage of water or other Huid through a pipe in the normal direction of low.

' Another object is to provide a valve which, in cas-e of stoppage of How in such normal direction, will operate as a check valve to pre- 0 plain and linally clalm.

vent reverse flow.

Such a valve is suitable for installation at the discharge end of a centrifugal pump, for example, so that, in case the pump operating power fails, reverse flow of the fluid through the pump may be automatically prevented. Thus, where the power for operating such a pump is an electric motor, and the motor `operating current fails,- the valve will automatically prevent reverse flow through the pump and reverse rotation of the pump and l motor with the possible damageto the pump and motor incident thereto.

y Such a valve is also usefulin fluid distributing systems to guard against loss of fluid and consequent property damage in case of a pipe being broken. Installations of valves of this type are. particularly necessary in conduits which, if broken, would drain a reservoir and, in so doing, release a large volume of water.

Asythe description of our invention proceeds, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the obj ects and uses of our valve lereinbei'ore mentioned are merely illustrative and that it fulfills other objects and is susceptible of equally effective operation in various other installations.

The invention consists, broadly, in a combined flow control and check valve, having a valve body provided with a valve seat, an internal* cylinder or bearing member arranged within the body andsupporting a flow control member or needle in such co- 1932. Serial No. 641,946.

operative alignment with. the valve seat that movement of the needle toward and away fromits seat will decrease and increase 'the How of Huid through the valve, there being fluid-receiving. chambers so associated with the internal cylinder or bearing member and needle and so communicating with the interior of the conduit in which the valve is installed and through which the fluid iiows that the movements of the needle may be automatically eected in response to pressures established in the fluid-receiving chambers. And-the invention consists, further, in means whereby the operation of the valve may be -manually controlled, and in variousstructural details, as we will proceed now to ex- In the accompanying drawings somewhat diagrammatically illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure lA is a Vertical axial section of a valve embodying our invention, Figure-2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating a modiiied form of the valve, Figure 3 is a transverse-section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The valve comprises a preferably cylindrical outer casingor body 1 in which is axially arranged an internal cylinder or bearing member 2 suitably connected to the body 1 and held in spaced concentric relation thereto by radial ribs 3 (see particularly Fig. 3) thus forming an annular waterway 4 through the valve between the body 1 and cylinder' 2. There is a substantially conical flow control member or needle 5 having a cylindrical extension 6 arranged for axial telescopingmovement Within the cylinder or bearing member 2 and cooperating with 'an annular seat ring 7 in the body l. The inner end ofthe needle extension 6 is provided with a piston or diaphragm 8 in sliding engagement with the inside of cylinder 2 and the outside of an axial tube 9 supported by a conical head 10 which closes one end of the cylinder v2. Fixed to the end of the tube 9 is a diaphragm 11 the periphery of which is in sliding engagement with the interior of the extension 6.l

The enclosure formed by the cylinder 2 and the telescoping needle is divided by the sliding piston or diaphragm 8 and the fixed diaphragm 11 into three, separate, tandem pressure chambers A, B and C. Chamber A is in communication with chamber C through passage 12 cored in the wall of the central tube 9. This passage permits flow of fluid from chamber A to chamber C or vice versa whenever the needle moves toward and away from its lseat 7. Thus the unit pressures in chambers A and C are equalized at all times.

Chamber B is supplied with fluid at pipe line pressure through passageway 13 and cored passage 14 in tube 9, connection being made between passageway 13 and the pipe line or conduit on each side of the valve by pipes 15 and 16 provided with valves 17 and valves 24 and 25, respectively, and means are also provided for exhausting these chambers to atmosphere, ifdesired, through a pipe 26 provided with a valve 27.

The arrow a indicates the direction of nor- -mal flow of fluid through the pipe line or conduit and valve.

With the pressure conditions and control means thus established it will be obvious that the movable needle is subject to the following operative forces tending to close the valve, vi'z :-'pipe line pressure within chamber A acting against the face of annular piston 8, with or without pressure in chamber B equal to'or lower than atmospheric pressure, and pipe line pressure within chamber C acting against the .conical end of needle 5, with or without pressure in chamber B equal to or lower than atmospheric pressure. It is also subject to the following operative -forces tending to open the valve, viz z-pipe line pressure 1n chamber B acting against the face of annular piston 8 with or without the pressure in chambers A and C equal to or lower than atmospheric pressure, and pipe line-pressure acting against part or all of the outside of the conical end of the needle 5,

depending upon whether the needle is closed against seat ring 7,r or is partlyor wholly open.

With these opposing variable forces availf able it is possible to force the needle open or ose'd or to hold it in any intermediate position by suitably regulating the pressures in chambers A and C and in chamber B. For example, when the pressure is reduced in chamber B, and pressure is permitted to acpartially open to produce a throttling effect on the fluid passing through it.

In normal operation of the valve for throttle or check purposes, passageway 13 is maintained open to pipe line pressure, connection being made to the upstream or inflow side of the valve through pipe 15, whereas passage.- way 21 is maintained closed, pressure being supplied to chambers A and C by restricted leakage past annular piston 8 and fixed diaphragm 11. With this adjustment, the pres# sure in chambers A and C is automatically controlled byleakage from these chambers -through a hollow control shaft 28 which cooperates with an acorn valve 29, these parts constituting a manually adjustable control member. The shaft 28 discharges through an orifice 30 in the conical head 10 and in such manner the forces tending to move the needle 5 toward its seat ring 7 are equalized by the forces tending to move it away from` its seat ring.

For example, if the leakage from chambers A and C past acorn, valve 29 through shaft 28 and orifice 30 is not suflicient to equalize Ythe opening and closing forces actmg on needle 5, pressure will accumulate in chambers A and C until needle 5 is moved toward its seat. Any such movement of the needle will increase the leakage area around acorn valve 29, thus in turn relieving the pressure in chambers A and C and arresting seating movment of the needle.

The movable needle in this manner automatically 'seeks the position which permits just sufficient leakage from chambers A and C through shaft 28 and orifice 30 to equalize or balance the opening and closing forces established in chambers A and .C and in chamber B act-ing upon it. We therefore provide means, such as the rack 31 carried by shaft 28 with which meshes a pinion 32 rotatable by means/of a shaft 33 extending through vthe valvebody 1, whereby the shaft V28 Inav be manually adjusted relatively to the acbrn valve 29. Obviously, the needle 5 will move toward and away from its seatV as the opening at acorn valve 29 is diminished and increased, respectively, and the valve may thus be closed or opened or held in any intermediate throttling position, as desired.

Vith the valve adjusted at partial or full open position, as is customary when it is used. as a check valve, any reversal of flow will tend to force fluid into chambers A and pressure in this chamber.

changes 1n pressure will decrease the open` C through orifice 30 and shaft 28 past acorn valve 29, thus increasing the pressure in chambers A and C. At the same time the reversed flow Will tend to reduce the flow through passage 13 into chamber B, valve 18 being-normally closed, thus reducing the Obviously', these ing forces and increase the 'closing forces acting on needle 5, thus causing the needle to seat on its seat ring 7 and close the valve,

and thereby stop reverse flow through the pipe line or conduit.

Having thus closed automatically, due to4 the reversal of iiow in the pipe line', the valve will remain closed until normal pressure is reestablished in the upstream or inflow side of the valve, at which time the valve will again open with the opening of the needle to its original position due to the reestablish-- ment of the pressures obtaining in chambers A and C and in chamber B before the reversal of flow. l

If desired, the needle 5 may be locked in seated lposition to keep the valve closed by forcing thevend of shaftv 28 into iXed engagement with the acorn valve 29. l/Vhen locked in this manner the valve Will remain closed after normal pressures have been reestablished until opened manually by appropriate operation of the shaft and through it of the pinion 32 and rack 31.

If it is desired to open the valve and release water in the reverse direction of flow before normal pressures at the inflow or upstream side of the valve have been reestablished, this can be done by exhausting pressure from chambers A and C to atmosphere through passageway 21, valve 27 and pipe 26 and supplying pressure to chamber B from the outioW or downstream side ofthe valve through pipe 16, valve 18and passage- Way 13.

It will thus be seen that the valve of our invention has the following operative characteristics, viz; it can be opened or closed manually under normal flow by appropriate movement of the shaft 28 relatively to the acorn valve 29. It can be held in any de-` sired flow throttling position under normal flo-w. It will close automatically from any position of the needle 5 under reverse how, and will open automatically upon resumption of normal flow. It can be locked against automatic opening. It can be .opened manually with pressure at outflow or downstream side and no pressure on inflow or upstream side.

In the `modification illustrated fin Figures 2 and 3 all of theessential elements of the valve are substantially the same, and function in the same manner, as-those already described with reference to Figure 1, andare similarly designated. YThe modifications are made in details of construction, as follows:

.ripheral edge of diaphragm 11.

chambers A and C instead of being in comwall of thel central tube 9, communicate through a plurality of passages 34:.formed inthe cylindrical extension 6 of the needle 5, and chamber B is in communication with passageway 13 through the interior of the tube 9 and openings 35 in its wall. Also, instead of using the rack and pinion arrangement for adjusting shaft 28 relatively to the acorn valve 29, we employ means including a bevel gear 36 engaging a screwthread 37 on shaft 28 and meshing with a pinion 38 carried by an operating shaft 39 which eX- tends through the valve body 1 to suitable operating gear as in the case of shaft 33. Thus, when shaft 39 is rotated the bevel gear and pinion connection with shaft 28 will move the shaft 28 axially by means of the screwthread 37.

It is to be understood that these modifica tions are only illustrative of the flexibility of the design of our valve and its adaptability to changes, both as to the formation and assembly of itsl parts and the arrangement of its operating mechanism.

With reference to the Ioperation valve, it will be noted that the differential between the opening and closing forces acting upon theneedle 5 is much greater than in other valves with which we are familiar, owing to large actuating area afforded by the annular piston 8. Thus We provide greater forces for overcoming friction in the needle and for operating the valve under low conduit'pressures. p

Slamming of the needle in wide open position is prevented by gradual restriction of the end opening of passage 12 `(Fig. 1) as piston 8- slides over it, thus, in effect, causing chamber A tov function as a dash-pot. The same is true of the end openings of passages 34 (Fig. 2) as they slide over the pe- Also Ithe needle is prevented from slamming to its seat by means of the restriction of the end opening of passage 14 as piston 8 slides'over' it. This is true also in respect to the openings 35 (Fig. 2), the chamber B thereby functioning as a dash-pot. It will be apparent, moreover, that too rapid movement of the needle is prevented inherently by the action of the annular piston 8 between .the opposing pressure chambers A and B.

One very salient feature of our invention is 'the arrangement of the needle so that it arrow a) but with reverse flow. This is im of our y portant for the reason that, where a valve of this character is used as a check Vvalve, it is subjected only`` to moderate fluid velocities, such as twelve or fourteenfeet per second, under normal flow conditions, whereas, under reverse ow conditions, it is subjected to very high velocities, inI some cases to full `those heretofore known to us.,

It will be apparent, therefore, that by our invention we have provided a valve well j adaptedv to the purposes for whichl it is designed, and capable of marked flexibility in operation, whereby its various functions may be eectively, automatically and manually controlled.

Various changes are deemed to be within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the ollowingclaims.

1. A combined flow control vand check valve, having a valve body, a bearing member arranged therein and providing a luid flow passage therethrough, a needle .member carried by said bearing ,member and slidable relatively thereto and to said body for controlling the flow of fluid through Vsaid pas sage, a diaphragm carried by said bearing member and a piston carried by said needle member and providing a plurality of pressure chambers within said members, means for supplying pressure fluid to'said ychambers, means permitting the escape of pressure fluid from one of said chambers, and valve means operable in response to movement of said needle member to regulate the escape of pressure fluid through said escape means to equalize the opposing forces resulting from iluid pressure in said chambers.

2. A combined flow control and check valve, having a valve body, a bearing member arranged therein and providing a vluid flow passage therethrough, a valve seat carried by said body, a needle member'carried by said bearing member and movable therein toward and away from said seat to control the How of fluid through said passage, a fixed diaphragm carried by said bearing member, a. piston movable with said needle member, said diaphragm and piston dividing the space within said bearing member and needle member into three chambers, means affording communication between two of said chambers and adapted to equalize the pressures therein tending to move said needle member toward said seat, means for introducingluid into thev other chamber to estab; lish pressure therein tending to move said needle member away from said seat andy valve-controlled means actuated automatically by a movement of said needle member -in response to an unbalance of the opposing forces established thereon to reestablish a y ,balance between said opposing forces to maintainsaid needle member in substantially fixed position during normal fluid flow through said passage.

3. A combined flow control and check valve, having a valve body, av bearing member arranged therein and providing aI Huid flow passage therethrough, a valve seat carried by said body, a needle member carried by said bearing member and'movable therein to-ward and Aaway from said seat to .control the flow of fluid through said passage, a fixed diaphragmcarried bysaid bearing member, a piston movable with said needle member, said diaphragm and piston dividing the space within said bearing member and needle member into three chambers, A

means ail'ording communication between two of said chambers and adapted to equalize the pressures therein tending 'to move said needle member toward` said seat, means for -introducing uid into the other chamber to establish pressure therein tending to move said needle member away 'from said seat, valve-controlled' means actuated automatically by a movement of said needle member in response to an unbalance of the opposing forces established thereon to reestablish a balance jbetween said opposing, forces to maintain said needle member in substantially fixed position during normal iluid'ow through said passage, and means for adjusting said valve-controlled means to determine the position atiwhich said needle member, will be automatically maintained by said valve-controlled means.

4. A combined `flowcontr1ol and check valve, having a valve body, a bearing member arranged therein ,and providing a luid iow passage therethrough, a needle member carried by said bearing member and slidable relatively thereto and to said body for conf posing forces established b1 fluid pressures impressed upon said need e member, said means including a valve automatically pperablein response to movement of said .needleY member in response to diierences in the .op-i posing 'forces impressed thereon.

,5. A combined flow control and check valve, having a valve body, a bearing member arranged therein and providing a fluid l How passage therethrough, a needle member carried by said bearing member and slidable relatively thereto and to said body for controlling the i'low 'of fluid through said passage, a diaphragm carried by said'bearing member and a piston carried by the said needle member and providing a pluralit of pressure chambers within said mem ers, means forlsupplying fluid from the body'of fluid controlled to said chambers, means for equalizing the opposing forces established by fluid pressures impressed upon saidneedle member, said means including a valve automatically operable in response to movement of said needle member in response to differences in the opposing forces impressed thereon, and manually operable means for adjusting the said automatic valve, thereby to control the position assumed by needle member when the said opposing forces are e ualized.

6. A combined flow control an check` valve, including a valve body having an inflow end and an outflow end, a needle member mounted therein and capab-le of movement against the direction of normal flow to arrest or throttle the flow of fluid through the valve,

means defining a plurality of pressure chambers associated with said needle member, means for introducing pressure fluid from the controlled body of fluid into said cham- 'bers from the inflow end of said valve during normal flow conditions, and means affording communication between certain of said chambers and the outflow end of said valve, said communication affording means serving to admit fluid to said certain chambers in event of reverse flo-w to establish pressure therein to move said needle member in the direction of reverse position.

7. A combined flow control and check valve, including a valve body having an i11- flow end and an outflow end, a needle member mountedtherein and capable ofmovement against the direction of normalflow to flow to flow arresting arrest or throttle the flow of fluid through 8. In a valve of the needle type, -a valve` body having an inflow and outflow'end, a valve seat at the inflow end of said body, a needle member and a bearing member within said body and cooperating therewith to pro'- vide an annular fluid passage between the ends of said body, said members telescoping to permit movement of said needle member towards and from said valve seat, means cooperating with said members to provide a plurality of chambers for receiving pressure fluid for moving said needle member, a chamber wholly in said bearing member and an opening in the wall of said bearing member affording free communication between said chamber and the fluid passage at the outflow end of said body, and meanslincluding valve elements carried by each of said members affording communication between said last chamber and a pressure chamber in which established pressures tend to move said needle 'member into engagement with the valve seat.

9. A combined flow control and check valve, including a valve body having an inflow end and an outflow end, a needle member mounted therein and capable of movement against the direction of normal flow to arrest-or throttle the flow of fluid through the valve, means defining a plurality ofv pressure chambers associated with said needle .member,l means for introducing pressure fluid into said chambers, and means affording communication between certain of said chambers' andthe outflow end of said valve, said communication affording means serving to admit fluid to said certain chambers in event of reverse flow to establish pressure therein to move said .needle member in the direction of reverse flow to flowy arresting position.

l0. .A combined flow control' and check valve, Aincluding a valve body having an inflow end and an outflow end, a needle member mounted therein `and capable of movement against the direction of normal flow to arrest or throttle the flow of fluid through the valve, means defining a plurality of pressure chambers associated with said needle member, means for introducing pressure fluid into-said chambers, and valved means affording communication between certain of said chambers and the outflow end of said valve, said communication affording means serving to admit fluid to said certain chambers ,in event of reverse flow to establish pressure therein to move said needle member in the direction of reverse flow to flow arresting position.

l1. A valve comprising a valve body, a shell member arranged therein and providing a fluid flow` passage therethrough, a needle men'iber carried b v said shell member and slida-ble relatively thereto and to said body for controlling the flow of fluid through said passage, a diaphragm vwithin said needle member, a diaphragm tube securing said diaphragm to said'shell member, a needle heady cooperating with said diaphragm and tube to divide the space within said members into three tandem compartments, -means for supplying pressure fluid from the exterior of said shell and needle members to two' of said compartments to establish opposing forces tending to move said needle member, and means including a control member extending through said diaphragm tube for determining the position to which said needle member v member, respectively.

element of said regulating valve being cari ried by said shell member and said needle 13. The invention as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for 'supplying pressure fluid to said chambers includes a pair of passages in the wall of said diaphragm tube,

one of said passages opening into one chamber and the other passage opening into a different chamber. 1

14. The invention as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means'for supplying pressure iiuid to said chambers includes a pair of passages in the Wall of said diaphragm tube, each passage extending from an opening in the outer surface of and adjacent one end of Athe ytube to an opening at the opposite end face of the tube, and said passages beingoppositely arranged to place their end face openings atopposite ends of the tube.

15. The invention as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means for supplying pressure Afluid to said -chambers includes a longitudinal passage in the wall of said needle member for supplying pressure fluid toand exhausting the same from the compartment at the nose of said needle member.

16. AV valve comprising a valve body, a shell member arranged therein and providing a fluid iiowL passage therethrough, a needle member telescoping Within said shell member for controlling the flow of Huid within said passage, a diaphragm within said needle member, a diaphragm tube securing said diaphragm to said shell member, Whereby a pressure compartment is formed by the nose o the needle and said diaphragm, a. needle head cooperating with said shell to form a second compartment, an annular compartment being formed between said diaphragm'and head which has said tube and the needle as its cylindrical walls, and means including the interior of said tube and a pair of passages'in a cylindrical wall of said annular chamber for supplying pressure fluid toand exhausting the same from said chambers.

17, The invention as set forth in claim 16, wherein said passages are provided in the Wall of the diaphragm tube and communicate, respectively, with compartments in which fluid pressures establish forces tending to move said needle member in opposite directions. y

18. The invention as set forth in claim 17, wherein said passages are formed in the Wall of said needle member to afford communication between the compartment in the nose of the needle.

19. In a `valve of the needle type and including a body, an inner shell, and a diaphragm supported Within the shell by a diaphragm. tube, a needle member slidable on said diaphragm and'within said shell, a head on said needle and slidable on said tube, and a longitudinal passage in the wall of said needle alording communication between the space within the nose of the needle and the space between the needle head and the shell.

20. In 'a needle valve, a valve casing, an inner shell, a needle telescoping within said shell, a diaphragm Within said needle, a dia'-A phragm tube, said diaphragm being secured to one end of said tube, the opposite end of said tube being flared outwardly and Vsecured to said shell, and means including the bore of said tube deiining passages for supplying pressure fluid to and exhausting the same from the chambers formed within said .needle by said diaphragm.

'through said compartment and to the exterior of said casing.

22. A needle valve as claimed in claim 20, I

wherein said last means includes a pressure fluid compartment formed in said casing, in comblnation with a valve for controlling Vthe flow of pressure fluid in said passages, a control'member for said valve extending through said compartment and to the exterior of said casing, and a sleeve member Within said compartment and isolating said'control member from the pressure` Huid within said compartment.

-. LESLIE N.,MCCLELLAN.

PHILLIP A. KINZIE. JOHN L. SAVAGE. CHARLES M. DAY.l 

